What is the origin of the difference of the stated purpose of the CAREM reactor between the civilian and military establishment? The projected optimism of the political establishment may be due to competition with the Brazilian submarine program. Can an Argentine politician publically admit to being left in the dust by the Brazilians?

Post by Holly Mortimer, Research Intern at the International Centre for Security Analysis

As Turkey’s nuclear energy programme slowly progresses with the ceremonial ground breaking for the first Russian-built plant at Akkuyu, and the ratification of the intergovernmental agreement with Japan for the second plant at Sinop, President Erdogan and other senior government officials continue to promote the idea of a fully domestic nuclear capability. This ambition is in line with their wider domestic agenda ahead of the 2023 centenary of the Turkish Republic; widely interpreted as an attempt by the Justice and Development party (AKP) to drum up nationalistic support.